


ASTRAY ACOLYTES

by TheLady0fShalott



Series: Triple A [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different Path, Anakin Skywalker is Not a Jedi, Bounty Hunters, Clone Wars, Female Friendship, Friendship, Gen, Jedi, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Mystery, Pirates, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 15,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24578785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLady0fShalott/pseuds/TheLady0fShalott
Summary: AU. While Dooku leads Anakin down a darker path, Padmé and Obi-Wan work to discover who ordered the creation of the Clone Army. In Anakin's absence Asajj and Ahsoka set out to learn more about the force for themselves. [Months after the events of THE RAXUS GAMBIT]
Relationships: Ahsoka Tano & Asajj Ventress, Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker & Asajj Ventress, Padmé Amidala & Mon Mothma & Bail Organa
Series: Triple A [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1762651
Comments: 34
Kudos: 24





	1. SECRETS OF A JEDI

Qui-Gon had been gone for a long time now and yet his legacy, a secret legacy, was still alive. Obi-Wan stood in the council chamber. Things had been silent a long time after the message on the holocron had been revealed.

“This,” Master Galia said “is incredible.” but her voice did not hold awe, so much as shock at Qui-Gon's blatant disregard for the Jedi code.

“Who is this, Skywalker, Qui-Gon speaks of?” Master Mace Windu asked, glancing from the holocron image of Qui-Gon to where Obi-Wan stood. 

Where to even begin? Obi-Wan was only guessing at much of it himself, “I suspect he is a boy we encountered on _Tatooine_ during the Naboo blockade crisis. However, any further contact Qui-Gon may have had with him was kept a secret from me.” Obi-Wan paused for a moment. He could barely believe his former master, a believed friend, had kept something so important from him, from the council. Why train the boy in secret, why break so many rules of the Jedi code? Obi-Wan knew his former master well enough to know that Qui-Gon would only have acted for what he thought best, but what that motivation was he didn’t know. “Recently,” Obi-Wan went on “I’ve encountered a force sensitive, he’s received training, that’s clear; I now believe that he may have received it from Master Qui-Gon.” Obi-Wan chest felt heavy saying it.

“The pirates who robbed _Ilim,_ ” Master Mundi mused.

“Think that all three of these pirates received training from master Qui-Gon, do you?” Yoda asked his old eyes watching Obi-Wan carefully.

“It’s hard to say,” Adi Galia answered, she too had met the pirates briefly. “When I met them they all had clearly received training of some kind, however, I believe that master Jinn was not the originator of the training for all of them”.

“This mystery explorer we will, but at a future date, more pressing matters there are,” Yoda said, turning to Master Ki-Adi-Mundi.

“We have been contacted by Senator Amidala, the senator is opening an investigation into who ordered the clone army and she has asked for the Jedi’s help in this matter,” Ki-Adi-Mundi said. 

“The Jedi support this official investigation by a member of the senate. You are to help the senator discover the truth of the matter,” Master Mace Windu said. 

“Yes masters, am I to assume that the entire matter should be handled quietly?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Yes,” master Shaak Ti said, “those who wish to obstruct are unwary of this investigation as of yet.”

“Senator Amidala is looking into the source of the clone armies, who ordered them, and who paid for them,” Master Ki-Adi-Mundi said.

“I was under the impression that the Keminoin’s were refusing to open their files to the republic. And that all travel through Seperatits held space was suspended, especial with the possibility of peace talks?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Your understanding is correct,” master Ki-Adi-Mundi said, “the Jedi, as you know, have been named as placing the order, when our records show no such thing. Because of the travel ban, your investigation may be more difficult, as it is unlikely you will be able to go to _Kemino,_ ” he added. 

“Much fear in the galaxy there is, a secret army, fractured governments, losing faith in the Jedi the galaxy is. The dark side clouds everything,” Yoda mused.

“Someone is trying to discredit the Jedi?” Obi-Wan was alarmed by the idea, the damage that the clone armies had already caused politically was catastrophic. The Separatists viewed the existence of the army as an act of war. If their true purpose was to discredit the Jedi there was much more to the current turmoil then seemed previously.

“Behind these events I sense the hand of the Sith,” Master Mace Windu said. The council chamber was quite a long moment. Yoda broke the silence.

“Go now, help senator Amidala discover the truth you will” Obi-Wan bowed to the council and left the chamber. 


	2. FOLLOW THE CREDITS

Bail Organa and Mon Mathma stood in Padmé Amidala’s office listening to her heartening news about the possibility of peace talks. “Mina’s reporting that there is strong support for peace talks in the Confederacy Congress. If all goes well, we’ll be able to open peace negotiations soon,” Padmé said. 

“Hopeful before a real war can begin,” Bail added.

“This is much needed news” Mon said, “When can we expect the Senate to vote on opening up peace talks?”.

“There’s been another delay. I'm sorry to say.” Padmé’s face frowned slightly. “I have been pushing Chancellor Palpatine to bring the motion onto the floor for open discussion and allow a vote. So far he says there’s been resistance by the banking clan and trade federation.” Padmé’s mouth frowned slightly further. It was clear that somehow both of these groups hoped to profit from a war.

“Then we will just have to bring the motion to the floor ourselves,” Bail said.

“That would be a bold move,” Mon noted. 

“Desperate times call for bold moves,” Bail stated without batting an eye. He was never one to back down from a fight for a good cause. “We need to open these peace talks with the Separatists even if we have to drag the rest of the Senate along screaming.”

“I agree, this motion needs to be brought onto the floor whether there are objections or not. Once on the floor and with enough support objections can be overridden,” Padmé agreed.

“If we’re not careful putting this motion on the floor and it backfires, not only could it be political suicide. If it's voted down, getting it back on the floor without the Chancellor's backing might become very difficult.” Mon warned. However, she too was more than prepared to bring the bill before the senate. 

“Bail I think you should bring the bill to the floor, _Alderaan_ has a lot of sway in the senate and people listen to you,” Padmé said, turning to the dark haired senator.

“Agreed,” Bail nodded, turning to Mon Bail said “You had mentioned you’ve been working on bringing over undecided senators?”.

“Yes,” Mon said, “I’ve been working on a group of senators since I first came into contact with Mina Bonteri. I’ve been trying to gather those who support the peace talks into an organized group dedicated to stopping this war. We’ve been working on bringing those who are undecided into our way of thinking”. Mon turned to Padmè “I am to attend a meeting with this group this afternoon. Now that I can bring them news of the motion being put on the floor I might be able to convince a few more systems to follow us.”

“I certainly hope so,” Padmé said, Mon rose and bidding her fellow senators good day she left the office. Turning to Bail Padmé added “I received a request from Mina a few days ago. The Congress is claiming that the Republic voted on the creation of the clone army and that these are grounds to cut off all peace talks”. 

“No one knows who ordered the clone armies, the _Kaminoans_ ’ say it was the Jedi and the Jedi say they have no record of doing so. With the current travel ban and subsequent blockade of _Kamino_ , I doubt we’re going to find out any time soon. All space lanes between here and _Kamino_ are no fly zones” Bail said knowing as he said this that Padmé was already working on some plan. 

“I know, but Mina suggested that if I could definitively prove in some way that the Republic had no knowledge of the clone armies being ordered. That if it was some small rouge faction or a greedy individual that it might appease the Congress enough to consider the peace talks.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Bail asked,

“I can’t go to _Kamino_ , but I can follow the money, clone armies, especially one that size, are expensive. That money had to have come from somewhere, and that amount of credits will not be easy to hide. If I find where the money came from then I can say who ordered the clone army, and maybe bring us one step closer to peace.”

“Good luck, and be careful, someone or some group has ordered a secret army, they are probably more than prepared to keep what little secrets they have left.”

“I will, and good luck on the senate floor,” Padmè said. 


	3. WAITING NO LONGER

Asajj pulled back the curtain of her small yellow house and looked out to the street again. She would have been able to sense if Anakin had come back yet. She was hyper attuned to him at the moment. Anakin had left them four months ago, the occasional communication he sent was vague and didn’t tell her anything about where he was. All he said was that he had found someone willing to teach him more about the force and that he’d fill her in later. Asajj didn’t trust the situation. Anakin was reckless and good at getting himself into trouble. Anyone who could teach Anakin about the force was most likely a Jedi. 

Asajj’s eyes swept up and down the street a moment, Anakin had also left her with the long term repairs on _Starkiller_ to take care of. If Anakin knew what was good for himself he’d never come back. She would make him pay for leaving her to fix the ship he had crashed. Those thoughts of the ship aside, Asajj wanted him to come home, she knew Ahsoka did too. The little togruta, who was not so little anymore, had been enrolled in a good school as far as good schools went on _Tanga – 3_. It was currently on break and Asajj knew that Ahsoka preferred Anakin to herself when it came to teaching the force and saber. Not that Ahsoka could learn much more from either one of them. 

Asajj frowned a little, she understood wanting to know more about the force. Ahsoka could go further, she could go further. But trusting Jedi to gain the knowledge, Asajj didn’t think she could ever do that. Her master Ky Narec had told her many times of the vast amounts of knowledge held within the Jedi temple. Asajj had recently started to wonder about that vast amount of stored knowledge. If she could gain access to that information, she might not need a Jedi at all. Ky Narec had told her of Holocrons, filled with the Jedi’s secret training arts. Just one could teach her more about the force then she currently knew. Asajj’s thoughts were interrupted as Ahsoka came into the grey lighted living room.

“He’s not back yet,” Ahsoka said.

“I wasn’t looking for him,” Asajj lied letting the current fall back into place.

“Well he’s still not back yet, I wish he’d get done with whatever he’s doing and come tell us about it… you don’t think he went off to meet up with the pretty senator do you?” Ahsoka asked knowing it wasn’t true.

“He’d better not have,” Asajj growled. Ahsoka smiled to herself a little, Asajj and Anakin were like her parents and older siblings in one. They had been a small family ever since they had discovered her in the workhouse and Ahsoka had always depended on that relationship. It had never let her down. However, suddenly since Anakin had gone that relationship seemed threatened in some way. Ahsoka tried not to think about it but the longer Anakin was gone the more it felt like her little family was starting to fracture. 

Shaking those negative thoughts out of her head Ahsoka watched as Asajj looked out the window one more time before letting the curtain fall again and turning to Ahsoka, Asajj said “I think we're done waiting around here, if he comes home he has a key.” Standing Asajj added “I’ve got a plan that might just increase our own abilities in and knowledge of the force.” 


	4.  APPRENTICE

Anakin back flipped arching up and over the edge of the garden wall and landed on top of the stone structure. “Very good,” Dooku said, it was not the flip; the boy had been more than capable of that when he had come to Dooku. It was the control in the force that Dooku was trying to teach him. Anakin had excelled at an alarming rate; the Jedi would have held him back and slowed down his progress normally. But Anakin already had technical skills, what he needed was control. Dooku could teach him that. “Now focus and control your powers, it is the only way to gain strength” Dooku watched as the boy executed a neat and tidy flip to land back on the stone pavers of the courtyard in Dooku’s home on _Raxus_. 

Inwardly Dooku smiled, Anakin had been trained by Qui-Gon in part before Qui-Gon’s death. Now he was finishing what Qui-Gon had started, teaching the boy what he should have taught Qui-Gon. In a way he was writing the mistakes he’d made while training his former padawan. The boy had great potential and once Anakin was trained, even his master Darth Sidious, whom Dooku had not told about Anakin, _yet_ , would fall in their wake.

Anakin had learned so much in the last four months when he returned to Asajj and Ahsoka there would be a lot of information to impart. The next time he came face to face with the droid creature, the force was telling Anakin he would, he would be ready for it. Anakin had felt his powers growing. He could feel the immense power that lay just inside the darkness that Dooku offered and with little effort he was reaching out and taking the power that lay there.

“Again, you need more control.” Anakin’s powers, though growing were still elemental in many aspects. Dooku intended to train Anakin in the ways of the force, whether learning the ways of the Jedi or the Sith the only way to relate to the force was through control of one’s own self. Anakin was about to turn back to the wall and go through the routine again when one of Dooku’s server droids came to the garden.

“Count, a message,” the droid said and held a holo projector to his master. Dooku took the device and turning it on he studied the map closely. Finlay, he had been searching for this for a long time.

“Never mind your training for today,” Dooku said. Anakin gave the count a searching look. “We have a journey to make,” Dooku said.

“Where are we going?” Anakin asked.

“To obtain the secrets of true power,” Dooku went back to his rooms to pack the few things he’d need while they made preparation to leave the planet. The holo-projector in the room gave a beep indicating that someone was trying to make contact with him. Dooku pressed the button that allowed the image of his master to materialize and sank down to one knee. 

“Lord Tyranus,” Sidious said his black hood cowling his face, and leaving it in shadow. 

“Yes my master?” Dooku asked his eyes down cast.

“Have you obtained an appropriate agent for the _Coruscant_ matter?”.

“Yes my master, I have already given them full instruction and they are on their way right now to _Coruscant_ as we speak, the matter will be handled as you have instructed”.

“Good, good,” Sidious said, “The senate grows restless for peace, make certain your own political matters remain in turmoil,” Sidious instructed.

“Yes my master” Dooku agreed, when the transmission ended he left instructions that no votes where to take place in his absences and his mid size passenger ship left _Rexus_ the same day. 

Cutting off the transmission Palpatine walked to look out his window and view the _Coruscant_ skyline. He felt it again, stronger and stronger over these last four months, a disturbance in the force. He had felt it many times in recent years, the sources always evading him, the dark side revealed all to him except the source of _this_ power. Palpatine frowned, out there at that moment there was a being with an incredible presence in the force, and it was growing stronger. This being might be the answer to all of his plans and yet the dark side of the force did not reveal the source to him, “where are you?” Palpatine asked the skyline of _Coruscant._


	5. THE BANKING CLAN: NO DEPOSIT SOME RETURN

Padmé met with Obi-Wan in her office, the two discussed the best way to track down the source of the clone army and agreed that finding the source of the money would lead them to the being that placed the order. “If we could find out where the credits originated then we might be able to track them back to a group or individual,” Padmé said. 

“I agree.” Obi-Wan stroked his beard as he thought a moment “since the _Keminoans_ are refusing to open their files there are not many options as to where the money came from. I doubt the banking clan will give us access to their records either.”

“The banking clan?” Padmé asked, an idea stirring in her mind.

“Yes, such a sum most luckily would have been handled by the banking clan.” Obi-Wan watched Padmé’s face.

“I have a friend in the banking clan, or I used to, it’s been a long time, but he might be able to help us,” Padmé said.

“Do you believe this friend would give you access to their records?” Obi-Wan asked.

After thinking a minute Padmé nodded “I’m not sure. It will be worth a tray, I’ll have to travel to _Scipioí”._

Padmé’s private _Naboo_ craft took her wintery planet. Padmé had made contact with her old friend Rush Clovis. When she arrived Rush was waiting for her at the docking bay. He beamed at seeing her and held his arm out to her which Padmé took.

“Padmé.” Rush greeted, “how are you? it’s been such a long time”. 

Padmé smiled “yes it has, I’ve been well, how have you been Rush?”.

“I’ve been fine, since I left the senate my work with the banking clan has been very fulfilling,” Rush said. He paused a moment looking into Padmé’s face and added “you didn’t come here to hear how I was?”.

“No Rush, I’m sorry to say I didn’t.” Padmé could see that Rush had hoped her calling on him had been about _them_ more so than business. “I need your help Rush?” Padmé asked.

“Of course, come inside Padmé and we’ll talk.”

Inside Clovis’ apartments on _Scipioí_ , Padmé carefully chose her words as she asked Rush to help her find where the credits that paid for the clone army had come from. “If we can uncover this source I am confident it will go a long way towards bringing peace to the galaxy. Maybe even stop a war before it gets started.” Padmé knew Rush Clovis well, he was an ambitious man, who knew his business. However, Padmé also knew that Rush had a soft spot for those he cared about and that she was one of those who Rush would turn a blind eye to.

“I know what you’re asking Padmé, and I can tell you right now that I don’t have access to those records.” Rush could see her disappointment, he had judged her motives for visiting him correctly.

“There has to be some way that we can uncover who is behind this plot?” Padmé’s rhetorical question hung in the room for a long moment.

“Plot?” Rush asked raising his eyebrows.

“Rush there is something afoot, the senate did not order the clone army. Until we know who ordered it, peace talks will never get underway.”

“And you believe that the senate didn’t order them?” Rush asked, he had always been more in doubt of the senate.

“I do. I hope to uncover who did order them and if not that, then to prove that the senate did”. Padmé was silent a moment then asked “what files do you have access to?”.

“Mostly personal accounts, and exchanges, for those individuals that wish to bank with a planetary or secure private banking system,” Rush answered.

“Then you would be able to tell who’s been receiving money from the _Keninoan_ cloning divisions?” Padmé asked. Whoever was behind the clones had to have paid many individuals, aside from the _Kenionans_ , to manufacture and outfit the army.

“Yes…” Rush said carefully, “but that would be crossing several professional lines.”

Padmé could see that Rush was hesitant to help, and normally she would have commended him on his commitment to professionalize. But at the moment it was just another barrier to unraveling the truth. “Rush, this information is important, I need your help, if the Republic can discover who ordered the clone army, then there is a good chance that they will never have to be used”.

Rush seemed to hesitate for a moment and Padmé could see that he wanted to help her, but his professional ambition, something she had loved about him, seemed now to be holding him back.

“Padmé I would like to stop any conflict from arising, but giving you access to these accounts would be-”

“The right thing to do.” Padmé cut in “in the long run,” she added. Padmé felt a twinge of guilt at asking Rush to break rules she herself supported. A large twinge of guilt at using her close ties to manipulate the situation to her own gain. It would be better in the long run to have crossed one line, then allow all lines to be redrawn, Padmé told herself.

“Alright Padmé but I will only tell you the names of the beings who have been paid by the Keminoa cloning division,” Rush said.

“Thank you.” Padmé smiled and gave him a grateful look, Rush returned the smile.

The records were kept in Rush’s office, and a few minutes searching turned up three names. “Looks like Jezz Cracks, he’s a _Corellian_ ship builder, Hurushh Narackk, armor and weaponry manufacturer, and Jango Fett, a known bounty hunter.” Rush looked at her “does any of this help you Padmé?”.

“Yes,” Padmé said, “Jango Fett is an individual who I suspected of being behind assassination attempts made on my life right before the clone armies were discovered. He’s also the clone downer.”

“Then he’s probably your best lead, the others are outfitters for the army. Someone had to actually hire the clone downer,” Rush suggested. 

“Thank you Rush” Padmé placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. She thought for a moment “I need to get a communication through to Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi”.

Rush set up the call and a moment later Padmé was relaying everything she’d found out to Obi-Wan On _Coruscant_.


	6. MAP OF POWER

On Dooku’s ship Anakin’s training continued as they flew towards _Bothawui_ to meet with an informant. In the hold Anakin sparred with Dooku and worked on growing his powers.

Dooku forced the boy back and back again, then took a step back himself as Anakin lashed out with his blue blade. Catching the red blade of Dooku’s saber Anakin threw the older man back a step. 

“Control your power young Skywalker,” Dooku said as he parried Anakin’s blade. The young man reached for the force and shoved Dooku back. Dooku could feel the force responding to the young man but there was a wild edge to it, a dark edge. 

“Your powerful young Skywalker, but you lack control, it is the only way to gain real power.” Dooku reached out a hand and showed Anakin the control he was missing, Anakin was thrown back and hit the cargo bays wall with a soft thump. Dooku deactivated his red saber and clipped it back on his belt. “I’ve told you before, control, you must have it or you will never learn to truly control the force,” Dooku chided.

Anakin rose from the hanger floor and dusting himself off he reached out a hand and called his lightsaber to him. Hooking the sword on his belt Anakin said “I’m trying.”

“There is no try, either you succeed or you fail, that is all,” Dooku scolded again, but then took a slightly softer tone with the boy. “I know that with time you will learn what I am teaching you.” Anakin had been a great pupil; he’d learned quickly and had followed Dooku’s every instruction, but he still lacked control. Dooku had hoped as he trained Anakin that the boy would learn the same control that Dooku himself had. Anakin’s abilities had grown but his self control seemed to be slipping further and further away, Dooku did not, as of yet, understand why. 

From above the tone that indicated they were coming out of hyperspace sounded. Anakin and Dooku headed back up to the cockpit and Anakin guided the craft down to the planet’s surface. _Bothawui_ was a cold planet, currently in the middle of its winter cycle. Making their way through the streets in one of _Bothawui’s_ many cities, Dooku led them to a bar of somewhat respectable visage. The establishment being located near the space port which usually meant good business from travelers also men’t that inside there was a mix of _Bothans_ as well as life forms from all across the galaxy. Dooku led them to a back table and said once they sat down “we shall be joined shortly by an associate of mine.”

“This associate, they wouldn’t happen to be a Bothan?” Anakin asked, already knowing the likelihood was high. Bothans were some of the best known information traders in the galaxy and Anakin, who had had his own reasons to deal with them in the past, was sure that they were on _Bothawui_ now because they were in need of some valuable information. 

“Yes,” Dooku answered the boy's question, Anakin nodded but didn’t say anything more. From what Anakin had seen at Dooku’s home on _Rexus_ , the older man was rich and could more than afford to pay. That was usually where negotiations started breaking down in any form of data selling, hopefully that would not be the case this time. Ordering a drink while they waited, Anakin's thoughts turned to Asajj and Ahsoka. He didn’t know what they were up to and he was sure that Asajj would kill him when he returned to _Tanga-3_ for leaving her with the repairs to _Starkiller_. It had been a long time since he’d been on his own, almost five years now. The last time Anakin had been completely on his own was when he’d been a slave on Tatooine. He hadn’t been completely alone even then, his mom had still come and visited him, had still been a part of his life. Own and Cligge too, but all of that had ended with his mother’s death, then he’d truly been alone. For a moment the harsh sands of the night time desert stung Anakin’s eyes and cheeks with their phantom fingers. Quickly pulling his thoughts away from that time, from _that_ night, Anakin forced his mind to other places. 

He wondered how Ahsoka was doing with her training, she had learned almost everything he had known, and now, there was just so much more than they had ever imagined. Why didn't Qui-Gon ever give him the full picture, or maybe he had tried but Anakin had been unable to see it then. Once again Anakin cut those thoughts of the past off immediately, no good came from dwelling on the past.

Dooku watched Anakin quietly as they waited, as a Jedi and now as a Sith he had studied and restudied time and again over his fatal flaw in training Qui-Gon. So often he had drilled it into his former padawan that his mind should always be in the here and now. But it was the glimpses of the future that could save one’s life in a fight. Dooku had now become sure of his conclusions in the last four months, he had seen it with Anakin, and the boy was more than remarkable in that aspect. Dooku was sure that with training he could temper Anakin the why he had Qui-Gon and hon to a keen edge Anakin’s foresight. Dooku would not make the same mistakes he had with Qui-Gon, he could give Anakin the skills needed to defeat any enemy. Dooku’s mind quickly turned to his master, Sidious was the most powerful force user he had ever come in contact with, the Sith had frightening ability. Dooku’s view of his master was shifting now that he had met Anakin. The boy, though he had not fully reached it yet, had great potential, possibly even to rival that of his master.

Across from them a cream furred Bothan slid into the seat and glanced between the two humans and then focused his violet eyes on Dooku. “Count Dooku, I’ve got what you asked for,” the Bothan said. “But first the credits?”.

“They will be transferred to your account once I have the information,” Dooku said.

“Alright, mind you this information was not easy to come by; it took a lot of effort,” the Bothan said.

“You will be well paid for your efforts,” Dooku said. The Bothan reached into his belt pouch and produced a data disk. Setting it on the table the Bothan slid it towards the Count and then placed a data-pad next to it with a banking login visible on the screen. Dooku tapped in the code that would release the credits to the Bothan and then picked up the data disk. The Bothan rose and vanished out the doors. Dooku put the disk into a data-pad of his own and after a moment of reviewing the information seemed satisfied, turning to Anakin Dooku said “we have what we came for”. 


	7.  HOLOCRON CASE

Asajj and Ahsoka sat crouched low on the roof of one of _Coruscant’s_ many sky high buildings. Asajj was looking through a viewfinder and giving Ahsoka measurements which the togruta was writing down. “Looks like the security is good, ray shielding on several of the better access points”. Asajj took the viewfinder away from her eyes and glanced over at Ahsoka. “This isn’t going to be as easy as I had hoped”. 

“You mean breaking into the Jedi temple to steal one of their greatest treasures isn’t going to be a piece of cake?” Ahsoka asked sarcastically, “Who would have ever thought.”

“I’m starting to see why Anakin calls you snips,” Asajj said.

“Sorry.” Ahsoka smiled. “It’s going to be hard, I know that, but I think we can do it, if Skyguy’s off learning something about our powers we should be able to as well.” 

“I agree, and who knows, maybe a holocron will be able to keep him around for a while and stop him from making another stupid decision. Like getting mixed up with Jedi,” Asajj said.

Ahsoka didn’t say anything, but somehow she had a feeling that unless whatever was on this Jedi holocron was really good, Anakin wouldn’t give up his teachers' training so easily. Inwardly Ahsoka wished Anakin would come back. She didn’t like the idea of their family splitting up and going in different directions. It all smacked of futures yet to come.

“This is going to take some planning,” Asajj said. “Let’s go back to _Starkiller''_ the two former pirates rose and left the rooftop. They traveled down to the fourth level under the surface and found their docking bay. _Starkiller_ was sitting at moor looking much worse for the wear since Anakin’s little trick to break them free of the tractor-beam while rescuing the senator. Sitting in the main cabin Asajj pulled their information about the Jedi temple up on the holo-projector and she and Ahsoka spent the next few hours looking for a good way into the temple.

“This is impossible,” Ahsoka said frustrated after eliminating the last possible entry point as a possibility. “There is no way for two people to break into the Jedi temple and escape alive, let alone with one of their special holocrons!”.

Asajj frowned, she didn’t want to admit it but it did seem like getting into the temple would be much harder than she had been hoping for. “Come on, I need a drink,” Asajj said. 

Ahsoka didn’t say anything even after they had reached the bar. She felt as if all the planning of the last few days had been of no use. How could anyone hope to break into the Jedi temple?

Asajj frowned deeper as she sat at the bar and tossed back another shot of hard liquor from the small glass. She needed a way into the Jedi temple; her syncs told her the force had guided her to this bar, but why? Asajj tried calming her inner mind the way Ky Narec had taught her. The force would guide her to what she needed if she listened. 

Asajj oftentimes felt scornful of her old masters' teachings. Then the love she had felt for Ky Narec made the issue confused. He’d been like a father to her and she had always trusted his teachings. However, his teachings were that of the Jedi who had left him on that planet to die, and Ky Narec had, all because the Jedi couldn’t be bothered to come find him. Trust your master, Jedi teaching or not, he won't let you down, she told herself. Even if the other Jedi were wrong, Ky Narec’s teachings had been right. As Asajj sat there a conversation came drifting to her ears.

“What kind of job?” a changeling sitting a table away was asking into a com.

“The kind that needs someone who can fool even a Jedi.” the voice from the com answered back.

“How far away is it?” the changeling asked.

“It’s on the planet, we're going to hit the Jedi temple, are you up for this kind of job or not?” the voice from the com asked coldly. 

The changeling hesitated a moment then said “yeah, I need the credits, this sounds dangerous it had better pay good?”.

“Trust me, it will.” The voice from the com said “meet me at the apartment number I sent to you we have much to discuss.” The changeling turned off the com and headed for the door almost immediately. 

Asajj looked over at Ahsoka and said “well it looks like we just found our opening after all” tossing back her most recent glass Asajj tossed some credits on the counter and headed for the door with Ahsoka. 

“So what’s our plan?” Ahsoka asked once they were on the street.

“We’re going to let them infiltrate the Jedi temple first, they’ll make a nice smoke screen for us to slip into the Jedi temple unnoticed,” Asajj said. 

“With the Jedi occupied with those intruders we’ll have a much easier time getting away,” Ahsoka smiled.

“Precisely,” Asajj said. 


	8. MATTERS OF THE MIND

Obi-Wan logged into the directory of housing and looked up Jango Fett, the bounty hunter. He lived in 12601 Republic, the area was modest but nice and had good housing.

Arriving at the apartment door Obi-Wan knocked, he hoped that things would go smoothly. The last time he’d encountered the bounty hunter the man had almost succeeded in killing him. Obi-Wan had never been able to prove that the assassin he’d encountered had been Jango Fett but nevertheless Obi-Wan was sure that it was. He would have to be careful.

The apartment door was opened by a tall alien woman with chalk white skin, she was a known bounty hunter called Aurra Sing. “Can I help you?” she asked.

“This is the residence of Jango Fett?”.

“Who’s asking?” Aurra said.

“An employer,” Obi-Wan responded, this answer seemed to satisfy her as she said “Jango’s not here, you’ll have to come back later.”

“And where might he be?” Obi-Wan asked.

“ _Not_ here,” Aurra said emphasizing her words, “I don’t know when he’ll be back.”

“What I have to discuss with Mr. Fett cannot wait” Obi-Wan persisted.

After a moment's hesitation she said “Jangos at _Coruscant_ general, but I doubt he’s going to be interested in talking business with the Jedi”.

“Thank you” Obi-Wan said as he left the apartment and headed to the hospital. 

* * *

When he arrived at _Coruscant_ General, he found the bounty hunter waiting in the hall outside the scanning rooms. Jango Fett was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and his dark eyes cast onto the ground in thought.

“Jango Fett?” Obi-Wan asked as he approached the bounty hunter. Jango looked up and his keen eyes sharpened as he saw Obi-Wan. His physical posture remained relaxed as he turned to face Obi-Wan fully. 

“Yes?” Jango said.

“I am Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, I’d like to speak with you if I might about the clone army?”. He was feeling in the dark now, all of the information he knew about the issue was from Senator Glush’s investigation that had taken place before the Separates blockade.

“What do you want to know?” Jango said.

“Mostly who paid for the clone army to be created in the first place. The Jedi council is very interested in who would order an army for a group of peacekeepers?”

“Are they now?” Jango said.

Obi-Wan was getting a sense of anxiety from the bounty hunter that didn’t match the man’s exterior. It also didn’t match the cool collected attitude that Jango Fett had exhibited the last time they’d met. Obi-Wan noted mentally, something was wrong.

“We were hoping that you could tell us who it was that paid you?” Obi-Wan persisted.

“I doubt it will help you much, as I told the senate before, I was approached by a man named Tyranus. I am paid by the Keminoan government. If you want to know where they got their funding you’ll have to ask them”.

Obi-Wan observed the bounty hunter a moment, he was sure that Jagno Fett knew more than he was letting on.

“And who was Tyranus working for?” Obi-Wan asked.

“I assume your senate, the army is supposed to be for them?” Jango said.

“Yes” Obi-Wan agreed, “Do you know where I might be able to get in contact with this Tyranus?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Haven’t a clue,” Jango said. Before any further questioning could take place a hospital staffer came into the hall.

“Mr. Fett we’ve completed the scan.” 

Suddenly Obi-Wan’s presents no longer excited to the bounty hunter as he focused all his attention on the hospital staffer.

“What’s wrong?” Jango’s voice was slightly tight, and suddenly Jango’s anxiety seemed almost palpable. 

“It appeases your son’s headaches are caused by an object of organic matter that should not exist in a human brain.”

“What does that mean?” Jango asked.

“There is some kind of bio-chip, I’ve never seen anything like it before. It might be a new piece of technology?” the staffer said.

“How’d it get there?” Jango asked.

“It appears to have grown; the bio-chip seemed to have its own growth cycle and appears to be growing faster than your son’s physical capabilities can handle. It would appear that with the onset of puberty the bio-chip has been triggered to go through a period of rapid growth. We would normally recommend removal of the bio-chip to alleviate the headaches'' the staffer said. “However, without knowing for what purpose the bio-chip was implanted into the brain, it could be dangerous to remove in a child without data on the boi-chip in general.”

“Can I see him now?” Jango asked.

“Yes” the staffer led Jango into a room across the hall.

* * *

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Obi-Wan said to himself as the force warned him of something yet unseen. 

Jango Fett came back out of the hospital room a few minutes later and headed for the exit with a purpose in his stride. 

“Wait a moment,” Obi-Wan said following the bounty hunter. Jango paused momentarily before the door and turned back Obi-Wan’s way.

“What?” he said flatly.

“You’re going to _Kemino_ to find out more about that bio-chip and I’m coming with you,” Obi-Wan said. Jango Fett didn’t deny anything or fain ignorance instead he gave Obi-Wan a searching look and then said,

“I’m leaving now,” and exited the hospital Obi-Wan in his wake.


	9. MALKRUST: TEMPLE OF THE DAMNED

Dooku parried another of Anakin’s attacks. The boy was skilled and his powers were growing but he was not there yet. “Don’t hesitate, go in for the kill when given the opportunity,” Dooku coached as he deflected yet another of Anakin’s strikes. “Let the force show you the way, let the force guide your every action,” Dooku instructed still once again pushing Anakin’s blade aside. 

“Enough,” Dooku said, ending the session as he pushed Anakin back again, the boy still had much to learn. Silently Anakin followed the Count into the main cabin of the ship and seated himself. Dooku walked further on until he was in the cockpit and then sat meditating as the star lines of hyperspace flew by him.

Anakin had gained much power under his tutelage but it seemed the more power his young apprentice gained the less control the boy had. This was contrary to the very nature of Dooku’s teachings. Control of the self was the only way to master the force. What little self control the boy had possessed instead of being strengthened seemed to be waning. Dooku leaned back into his pilot’s seat and let his mind take him back to when he had been a Jedi and training Qui-Gon. He had taught Qui-Gon the measures and value of control. Qui-Gon had stumbled over some things like most Padawans and had learned his lessons well. Control had never been an issue for Qui-Gon. A shadow of the pain that had never quite healed ached in Dooku’s chest as he was reminded once again of his failure to teach Qui-Gon correctly. It was clear to him that if he’d taught Qui-Gon right his former Padawan would never have been killed. This failure hunted Dooku and now was threatening to hunt him again in his failure to teach Anakin self control. If the boy never mastered that then Anakin would never master the dark side of the force.

Dooku went over Anakin’s training in his mind but found no flow in his teaching technique. Yet he knew there must be one, where was he going wrong? He was teaching Anakin to see what was coming before it happened but that was not enough. The matter perplexed Dooku and his mind went further back to conversations he had had with his own teacher master Yoda.

_“Control you say” he could hear Yoda’s voice, “control of the self is the ally of a Jedi, control of others the dark side this is. The ways of the Jedi cannot be learned by mastery of others but only through the self.”_

Dooku turned his thoughts away from the conversation he had had so long ago; Yoda of course had been right about many things. There was great power in the dark side, but only few would ever be able to reach out and take it. As Dooku mused on the nature of the dark side it came like a hunting voice from the depth of his memory, 

_“to give into anger, is to give into the dark side, that is why a Jedi must control themselves young apprentice.”_

They were the words of Qui-Gon to his own Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenodi during some training session a long time ago now. Dooku turned over in his mind again and again his failures with teaching Qui-Gon and now he feared making the same mistake with Anakin.

Anakin came into the cockpit disrupting Dooku’s musings and took the co-pilots seat. “Where about to drop out of hyperspace?” Anakin said as he started flipping switches in preparation for the return to sub-light speed. The _Bothans_ star map had proven to be correct, as they dropped out of hyperspace, a large planet loomed before them. Even without setting foot on the surface Dooku knew that this was the location he had been searching for. 

* * *

_Malkrust_ was a medium sized planet settled between two gas giants that dwarfed the planet by half its own size. As the small ship glided at sub-light towards the surface in a landing approach Anakin got the strangest feeling from the planet. It felt cold almost, the feeling was frighteningly familiar and took Anakin’s thought back to the night time desert on Tatooine. Forcing his thoughts away from those times Anakin focused on landing the ship. “It looks like there’s some kind of settlement or large structure in the south quadrant,” Anakin said looking up from his scanners.

“Land there,” Dooku said.

The ship landed before a huge building, triangular and on each side there was a large pillar with strange writing on them. “What is this place?” Anakin asked, the force felt swirled in darkness on the planet.

“A Sith temple,” Dooku replied.

Anakin didn’t know what a Sith temple was, but it wasn’t important what the building had been, as long as it helped him in the long run. “What’s in there?” Anakin asked as they approached the stone structure and the force stirred inside the temple. 

“The temple holds the secret knowledge of the Sith, powerful secrets and we shall take them, and we will use this knowledge to destroy our enemies.” 

As they neared the steep staircase Anakin noticed that in the distance there seemed to be a mixture of wrecked and abandoned ships from an ancient era scattered about. Some looked as if they still might fly; others were nothing more than gaunt skeletons. The closer they got to the Sith temple Anakin started seeing glints of metal and lightsabers scattered about on the planet's dry red surface. Here and there Anakin saw and felt as his boot crunched over the ground what looked like glass welded into the earth, where a lightsaber had slashed into the sandstone of the ground and turned it into black and burnished glass. 

Some kind of battle had taken place on _Malkrust_ a long time ago, Anakin felt as if he could almost hear the echoes of it even now through the force. As they reached the temple the memory of why _Malkrust_ reminded Anakin so distinctly of _that Tatooine_ night came back to his mind unbidden once again. The scattered carnage was similar to that of the Tusken Raider camp. The way the force felt on _Malkrust_ reminded Anakin of the hot rage he had felt then. The terrible vengeful power and the desolation of his grief. Echoes of what had happened on _Malkrust_ could be felt even now, terrible things had happened there. The voice of their far distance whispered was the same as stained the sands of _Tatooine,_ now being blown across the desert. 

Dooku felt a thrill of excitement that he quickly controlled as they drew closer to the Sith temple. It was finally within his reach, the knowledge that he had lacked for so long. Finally he’d have the power, and could train Anakin correctly, fix and atone for his mistakes he’d made with Qui-Gon. With Anakin as his apprentice Dooku would destroy his master and hunt down Qui-Gon’s killer. Together they would be able to bring peace to the galaxy. This time Dooku would teach and protect Anakin correctly. 

Dooku turned to Anakin at the top of the stairs “only two may enter here, a master and an apprentice, we must work together in order to obtain our goal.” Anakin nodded; stepping forwards Dooku raised his hand to the black stone building, with a heavy grinding sound the slab that blocked entry through the front moved with what seemed like tremendous effort from the Count. The Sith temple would not give up its secrets to any, Sith or otherwise without a fight, only the strongest could take the knowledge. “Quickly move inside,” Dooku instructed Anakin.

Anakin stepped under the door but found any further entrance blocked by another massive stone slab. Anakin lifted that slab; he found it unusually heavy as compared with normal stone. For a moment Anakin struggled to lift the stone. He needed to be stronger and the stone was blocking his path to that power. Reaching into the darkness that lay behind the vial Dooku had pulled back for him Anakin lifted the stone. Nothing would stop Anakin from gaining this power and protecting Ahsoka, Asajj and himself.

Dooku stepped through to stand next to Anakin and let the black stone slab drop back into place with a thud. While Anakin kept the slab above them suspended with the force, Dooku raised the next block. They raised two more sets of blocks before they came to the heart of the temple base. Inside was a small stone room with no pathways leading out, “now we must go upwards,” Dooku said looking above them. There was a fait seam in the sealing and below where they stood a square that was separate from the floor. “I will raise the plinth, you must open the way above,” Dooku reached out an old hand to the floor and slowly the square rose towards the ceiling.

Similarly to the door entrance of the temple it took teamwork to make their way through the temple. Anakin parted the red blocks of interior stone and forced them back into the wall while Dooku kept them moving every upwards.

A sense of fear and excitement started welling up within Anakin as they made their assent. As they went Anakin kept pushing back the next set and then the next set, for six sets before they arrived at the top of the temple. Anakin was breathing hard and sweat was beading on his brow from the effort of keeping the stone blocks held back while they moved upwards. At the top of the temple was a chamber, small and triangular. In the center of the chamber was a short pedestal and sitting atop it a red triangular crystal glowing faintly. The force felt dark there and Anakin heard the whisper of some great power that resided within the crystal pyramid.

“This is what we have come for” Dooku said, reaching for the triangle “a Sith holocron”. Closing his hands around it Dooku took the holocron. Turning to Anakin the red triangle reflecting in his eyes Dooku said “now we have what we have come for.” walking to the wall Dooku placed the holocron in a space that fit it perfectly and the wall slid down into the floor, revealing the outside of the temple. They stepped through and were standing on the top of the temple, the exterior black stone standing stark against the red stone of the ground below. “A Sith holocron can sometimes also be keys to their temples,” Dooku said.

Anakin said nothing, instead he looked out over the planet, the view for several miles around the temple showed everything as being barren and the ground was made of red stone. But further out a thick black forest grew with patches of red stone faintly seen between the dark masses. 

“Come,” Dooku commanded and moved to the corner of the temple which slid down like a lift and lowered them down to the temple base. 

“Will this holocron help in mocking me stronger?” Anakin asked.

“This holocron holds secrets that only previously my master, a true lord of the Sith knew, now my master is no longer necessary. Together we shall learn the true nature of the dark side of the force,” Dooku said in answer. He intended to explore the Sith temple further the next day, that night they slept on _Malkrust_

* * *

Palpatine scowled in his office, the senate session had just wrapped up and once again he found his plans hampered and blocked by Organa. That meddler, between the prince and Senator Amidala, Palpatine had never met more troublesome people in his life. The senate had agreed to vote on opening up peace talks and all Palpatine had been able to do was delay the vote as long as possible. But it would never be long enough, and then there was senator Mothma, he hadn’t forgotten her. She was working tirelessly to bring undecided systems around to voting for peace. His entire plan was on the verge of going up in flames. He opened a line of communication to General Grievous on the _Invisiblehand_. The droid general’s holo image flickered to life in miniature.

“General Grievous,” Palpatine said.

“Yes?” the droid wheezed.

“The senate is close to brokering peace with the Separatists, they must not be allowed. An attack on the lobby meeting before the vote will bring these negotiations to a halt,” Palpatine said. 

“I will make sure those insignificant beings suffer,” Grievous laughed.

“Good,” Palpaitne said “good.”


	10. VISIONS OF THE FUTURE

Dooku woke in the night at the sound of Anakin calling out. Feeling his heart jump in a way that he was not used to at the sound of another's distress Dooku hurried into the cabin where Anakin slept.

“No, Asajj,” he called tossing and turning as if he was attempting to move but in his sleeping state was unable. “No, Ahsoka, no!” he called. Dooku reached a hand down to Anakin’s shoulder and gave it a shack. Anakin jumped into wakefulness quickly and was left shaking from the dream.

“You are having a nightmare,” Dooku said.

Anakin felt cold sweat and fear trickle down his back. The dream, it had been one of those premonitions of the future. Or more terrifying a fate already accruing. Anakin felt sick. Asajj and Ashoka had been on _Coruscant_ and he’d seen the senate building in smoking flames. That droid creature from the prison ship had been there and Anakin had an overwhelming sense of death. It was all mixed up now but it had been so clear a moment ago. Ahsoka and Asajj were in danger that Anakin was sure of.

“We need to get to _Coruscant,_ ” Anakin said getting up. He would have headed to the cockpit but Dooku put up a hand stopping him.

“It was a dream nothing more put it from your mind,” Dooku said. “The visions you have are only possible futures, you must not give them mind they can deceive you.” Dooku placed a hand on Anakin shoulder. A far more comforting hand then he had meant.

“I know what I saw; Ahsoka and Asajj are in danger.” Anakin could not stop himself from shaking.

“Are these… friends of yours?” Dooku asked.

“Yes, and right now there in danger, these are not just dreams I have to go to them,” Anakin still felt the panic of the dream radiating through him. 

“If you are to become truly powerful then you must let these attachments go, these friends of yours must deal with this matter on their own. You must focus on your training if you are ever to gain real power,” Dooku said.

Anakin rejected this notion out of hand. He would never let them go, never, not when he could protect them. Dooku’s words echoed those of Qui-Gon's which had been spoken to Anakin so long ago. Let go of fear of loss and attachment to others, Qui-Gon had emphasized that so often. But Qui-Gon had never understood, some people were more important than the greater good, more important than anything else at all. Asajj had been right, the Jedi’s teachings where not to be trusted. 

Unable to do anything until the morning while the ship's power cells were recharging, Anakin nodded to the Count without speaking. Dooku left him and Anakin stayed awake the rest of the night. He reached out through the force and tried to find Ahsoka and Asajj at the moment they felt safe, but for how long?

Dooku had only just returned to his own cabin when his holo-communicator flashed, someone was trying to make contact with him. A moment later Dooku was kneeling before his master.

“Lord Tyranus,” Sidious said, his master’s voice sounded displeased.

“Yes my master?”

“I have foreseen trouble on _Kamino_ , the Jedi are on their way there to learn the true purpose of the clone army’s existence. You are to make sure that the Jedi does not leave the system _alive_.” Sidious’ voice cut like a razor as he ordered his servant.

“Of course my master,” Dooku said, “it shall be done.”

“See that you do not fail me,” Sidious said and he cut the transmission.

When Anakin rose the next morning, he discovered that Dooku had left the ship to examine the temple further. He could not shake the feeling the dream had left from last night. Anakin could still feel the fear and it echoed the feelings he’d had in dreams about his mother. This was not just a dream, not a possible future, it was going to happen, Anakin was certain of that. Death, fear, battle, these things would happen and Asajj and Ahsoka would be connected to them, maybe even the target of them. Anakin went into the cockpit and made preparations to take off. The Count would have to be sent for Anakin wasn’t waiting any longer. With the power cells fully recharged Anakin made course for _Coruscant_. He had been a pirate and stealing ships long before he had been a student of Dooku’s. Ahsoka and Asajj were far more important than any training he could get from Dooku. 

Dooku looked to the sky as he heard the sound of a ship taking off. “The young fool,” Dooku said quietly. A few minutes later he could sense when Anakin had left the system. Dooku had been left behind; turning to the scattered ships that appeared to be more or less intact Dooku proceeded to look for a working com or ship with a hyperdrive.


	11. BLOCKADE RUN

_Slave I_ dropped out of hyperspace before the Separates blockade; Jango Fett sat silently next to Obi-Wan as they held their position. Before them in the blackness of space was a fleet of Separates battle ships blockading the system. “It appears we’ve arrived,” Obi-Wan said. Jango Fett was silent a moment.

“Yes we have, get ready Jedi we’re going to run this blockade,” Jango Fett’s voice was almost unconcerned. His tone one of single mindedness as he looked on the star ships before them. 

“I’m ready, all we have to do is get to the plant's surface. Once we’re there the Separates cannot follow,” Obi-Wan said.

Jango Fett nodded and pointed to the controls before Obi-Wan. “When where in the thick of them drop the seismic charges.”

“I seem to remember these from the last time we met,” Obi-Wan said. He remembered his pursuit of the bounty hunter several years ago.

“Good, then you’ll know what kind of damage they’ll cause in the middle of that battle fleet.” Jango didn’t waste anymore time he sent the ship flying into the blockade. Rolling to avoid laser blasts and flying in an erratic pattern as to make tracing harder for the battle ships' laser cannons. Jango Fett showed off the reason why he had been picked as the clone temple; he was very good at what he did.

It was a second later that they were in the heart of the battle group and Obi-Wan dropped the seismic charges. Six cans were kicked out of _Slave I_ and detonated in its wake. Obi-Wan felt the shock wave as the seismic charges ripped through the nearest three battleships and many others beyond made to get out of the way of the seismic charges blast radius. _Slave I_ pelted towards the watery surface and landed on the rain lashed platforms outside of _Tapoca_ city. Exiting the ship Jango and Obi-Wan headed into the white medical like halls of the Kaminoan capital.

The lighted displays of the med-center record room blinked on and off as Jango and Obi-Wan made their way in the darkness. “That one,” Jango said, pointing to an info-hub. As they powering the display up they were met by a security system that required a pass code. 

Jango took a particularly heavy looking data pad out of one of his many pockets and hooked it up to the info-hub and pressed a few keys. A moment later the screen on the data-pad light up and a woman wearing a purple jacket appeared in holo. “Zam, I’ve got a security system that needs cracked. It’s going to take a 5-20 and make it quick.”

“Hang on a moment,” Zam said, and disappeared a moment then her voice came over again. “Alright, send me the data I’ve got the cracker ready.” Jango did so and then they waited. 

“I thought that all communications to and from Kamino were blocked?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Not to me, those seismic charges scattered the fleet well enough to punch a parasite signal through,” Jango said his dark eyes in the dark room fathomless. 

“Parasite single?” Obi-Wan asked. He knew the basics of most communication but they were not his specialty.

“It hijacks the transmission frequency used by the blockers. In this case the Separates fleet and sends it through without notice for the most part,” Jango said.

“Alright, that should do it, you owe me Fett,” Zam said cutting off the call. A moment later a code came flashing over the screen of the data-pad and then the hub screen lit-up and unlocked.

“Where in,” Jango said and started scrolling through data files. Obi-Wan scanned down the files as they scrolled by. For several minutes they were silent before Obi-Wan said

“Stop, that one,” pointing out a file with the order name Sifo-Dyas. Jango opened the file. As they scanned through the file it appeared to Obi-Wan that it was all the information on the manufacturing of the clones. 

Jango already knew most of the basic information and skimmed past it. He stopped scrolling through the information when a new section caught his eye. Information he didn’t know. Obi-Wan heard the man’s breath catch and a moment later his own breath caught in his throat as well.

“Organic inhibitor chips” Obi-Wan read out the title aloud.

“Protocol signature, order 66, on command from the appropriate authority all units engendered with inhibitor chips are to purge all designated life forms without exception. Designated life form. _Jedi_.”


	12. BREAKING INTO PROTOCOL

Jango read out the file and with every word Obi-Wan felt a dire warning in the force. 

Obi-Wan ran a finger down the list of clone units and stopped at the very bottom. “They all have one,” he was shocked. “Every single clone has been engineered to destroy the Jedi.”

Jango opened the file name at the very bottom of the list, CT-0001. A quick review of the file showed Jango that Boba too had been created with an inhibitor chip. Boba was supposed to be unaltered. Now it appeared that the chip was growing at the rate of a clone with an accelerated life cycle not a normal one like Boba’s.

“They’ll pay for this,” Jango’s voice was that of a man who had been betrayed. Jango put a data disk into the data-hub and copied all the information down onto it. It would be necessary to help the doctors treat what was wrong with Boba.

“We need to tell the senate; this proves without a doubt that the Jedi had nothing to do with the creation of this clone army.” Obi-Wan said. Knowing that it was a little triumph compared to the horrifying truth that had been raveled. Someone, somewhere was trying to destroy the Jedi order. “Can you open up another line of communication to _Coruscant_ ?” Obi-Wan asked. Jango nodded and a few minutes later Obi-Wan was beaming the information to Padmè on _Coruscant_. After the transition ended Jango put the data-pad down and un-holstering his twin pistols as he moved to the door.

“What are you planning on?” Obi-Wan asked taking his own lightsaber from his belt.

“They’ve broken our arrangement, I don’t allow that,” Jango said. 

“As far as the Kaminoan’s are concerned the Jedi ordered this clone army. We should have the ability to ask for changes to be made to the order and have these inhibitor chips removed,” Obi-Wan said. He ignored the unpleasant taste that the word ‘ordered’ had when referring to sentient beings. 

“The Prime Minister took this order personally. Any changes that are to be made will have to go through him. His office is in the high tower,” Jango said.

“Then that is my destination,” Obi-Wan said.


	13.  TRESPASSERS IN THE TEMPLE

Asajj and Ahsoka waited outside the Jedi temple for days, they kept a loose eye on the changeling who was going to be breaking into the temple. When he moved they would make theirs. It was early on a weak day when the changeling made his move, Ahsoka followed him to the apartment where the changeling met with his co-conspirator. Ahsoka waited and soon enough the bounty hunter, by the name of Cad Bane, Ahsoka didn’t know him personally, came out and with him a large alien Ahsoka had never seen before. She waited but Bane and his new companion headed away without the changeling coming out of the apartment. “Asajj,” Ahsoka said after a moment, “I’m pretty sure the changeling is discussed as a Jedi, it's happening now.”

“Copy that,” Asajj’s voice came back over the com “come to the rendezvous, we’ll wait for the bounty hunters to make their move first.”

The bounty hunters' move took no time at all; Asajj followed the blue alien into the Jedi temple through a breach in its security he’d made. As she made her way through the venting system Asajj noted that the security seemed to be turning off as she went. 

Asajj looked out through the vets she passed but it seemed that there were almost no Jedi in the temple at the moment. Something it seemed was happening; the few she did see ran by heading somewhere quickly. The force tingled, telling Asajj that she needed to be careful. Ahsoka’s diversion at the senate building was not supposed to be until Asajj signaled she was on her way out or if she got into trouble.

“Something’s happening, keep your wits about you,” Asajj said into her com, a sudden explosion from up ahead rocked the ventilation shaft.

“What was that?” Ahsoka asked.

“I don’t know,” Asajj said, taking one of her lightsabers from her belt she moved forwards carefully and rounded the next corner. The grate of the vent was off and someone was moving about outside. Asajj flitted past the opening and further down into the shaft. A moment later she saw the bounty hunter come back into the vent and said into an earpiece, “alright I have what we came for, get out.” Bane headed for the exit as quickly as he could. Bane had been carrying a holocron when he’d come back into the vent and Asajj wondered for a moment what Bane wanted with one, but it didn’t matter right now. Putting the thought out of her head Asajj went into the hall, she found the Jedi vault already blown open for them.

“I’m in, Bane blew the volt for me,” Asajj said.

“This was a good plan,” Ahsoka said.

“Thank you,” Asajj replied as she jumped through the partly open vault doors into the inner sanctum and started looking for the holocrons she wanted. There was a huge amount to choose from, and she didn’t have time to take all of them. Asajj grabbed seven holocrons and headed out of the temple as quickly as possible.

“Asajj- blast it!-?” Ahsoka's voice was cut off and the com went dead. 

“Ahsoka, Ahsoka!” Asajj called; there was no response, “blast it!” Asajj cursed and hurried around the edge of the temple and stopped. She was greeted by the sight of a huge war ship looming in the sky over _Coruscant_.


	14. ENCOUNTER ON KAMINO

Dooku had found a solar sailor class ship on _Malkrust_ that had still been functional and he had headed to _Kamino_. Landing on the wind and rain lashed planet Dooku waited on the platform for Obi-Wan, he knew that the Jedi would come to him. The doors at the far end of the platform opened and Obi-Wan came out into the rain. 

“Count Dooku,” Obi-Wan said.

“Kenobi,” Dooku responded.

“What are you doing here Count?” Obi-Wan asked.

“I have come to deal with the aggression the Republic has shown by running my blockade,” Dooku said.

Obi-Wan felt the darkness within Dooku and new the truth of the matter. “you’ve come here to stop the truth for getting out, the clone armies were created to destroy the Jedi, and I sense your hand in this Dooku,” Obi-Wan accused the rain lashing his face. 

“The Jedi are corrupt and must be eliminated from the galaxy before they destroy us all,” Dooku said. “Sifo-Dyas saw it, why do you think he ordered the clone army? Qui-Gon knew it too, the senate’s rote has leaked into the Jedi, and neither can be allowed to bring the galaxy down with them.”

“Qui-Gon believed in the Jedi,” Obi-Wan would never believe that Qui-Gon had wanted the downfall of the Jedi.

“He’d join me now if he had lived, for his lake of training I blame myself, but for the arrogance of the Jedi that brought him to his fate, that lies alone with them,” Dooku said, lightning flashing overhead.

“Blame is not the way of a Jedi,” Obi-Wan said, “you are alone in this pursuit, and have failed. The Senate and the Jedi Council will know shortly of the clone armies true purpose.” Obi-Wan called over the howling wind.

“No Kenobi, I am not alone,” Dooku said, and Obi-Wan's face suddenly had realization written on it as he understood, the force whispering the truth to him.

“Anakin.” The young pirate that he’d met years ago now, and again more recently, when rescuing Senator Mon Mathma. Obi-Wan had felt Anakin’s presents in the force, recently growing and sending out ripples that no longer could be ignored. Now it seemed that the young pirate had fallen in with Dooku.

“Young Skywalker has proven to be an apt pepil,” Dooku said, “with his help, together we will put an end to the corruption.”

“Anakin won’t help you destroy the Jedi Dooku,” Obi-Wan said.

“Qui-Gon trained the boy in secret,” that much Dooku knew, “if not to end the corruption and to protect Anakin from it?” Dooku demanded, the wind tarring at his cap now. 

“Qui-Gon believed that Anakin was the chosen one, and trained him in secret to that purpose. The boy was too old to be taken back to the temple; Qui-Gon didn’t want to destroy the Jedi he wanted to bring balance to the force!” Obi-Wan called over the rising wind. Through the force he could feel Dooku’s shock; the count had not known Anakin was supposed to be the chosen one. 

“Turn back from this foolish quest Dooku, help bring peace to the galaxy not war,” Obi-Wan called. “the Jedi need your help Dooku, come back.” Obi-Wan offered trying to reach out to the old man who’s wounds in the force at Qui-Gon’s loss now seemed to be fettering him. Dooku was silent for a moment, but Obi-Wan felt that he’d reached the old man; something was on the verge of shifting.

The doors behind Obi-Wan opened and suddenly he heard Jango’s voice, “Tyranus!” the bounty hunter accused.

“Tyranus?” Obi-Wan said, shocked turning on the spot he saw Jango Fett had a detachment of clone troopers with him.

“Open fire,” Fett’s order was instantaneously executed.

Dooku activated the red blade of his lightsaber and deflected several of the bolts as he beat a retreat back to his ship. It was over within minutes as Dooku’s ship disappeared into the stormy skies over _Kamino_. “Dooku is Tyranus?” Obi-Wan asked Jango.

“Looks like it,” Jango said his visor tilted upwards to the spot where Dooku’s ship had disappeared.


	15. CORUSCANT DOWN

Anakin’s small ship pelted through the skies of _Coruscant_ , without heeding the small battle taking place between the meager planetary defense force and the fighter squadrons of the huge battleship. Anakin made for the senate building. The huge domed roof already had smoke issuing from it and there was a gaping whole where some ship had either fired its lasers into it or else had crashed, which it was, Anakin didn’t know. Landing his ship on one of the many platforms at the senate building, Anakin hurried out of the ship. He paused a moment on reaching the doors into the senate building. The guards that normally would have challenged him were all dead, lying against the doors that led inside the senate. The attackers were already inside. Anakin’s heart raced, what if Ahsoka and Asajj were already hurt or dead?

* * *

Padmè stood in the middle of the large lobby on the third floor of the senate building with about thirty others. The lobby meeting that was taking place shortly before the vote on whether or not to open peace talks with the Separatists was interrupted only moments after Padmè's arrived. With a blaze of blaster fire battle droids came into the lobby. At their head was a huge droid, with a hacking cough, draped in a red and black cloak that trailed over the stairs as it descended from the mezzanine. 

“Were under attack!” senator Troock screamed to the ceiling of the lobby.

“Holt.” the battle droids ordered as some senators made to run. Any that had thought of running froze in their tracks. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Palpatine demanded of the huge droid. Padmè felt a lurch of fear as the cloak clade droid paused before the group of senators. Reaching behind itself the droid pulled out a lightsaber and slashed the siring green blade out, killing a senator and then again killing two more senators instantly. 

“Now that I have your attention,” the droid said, its yellow eyes boring out of the mettle mask that was its face, “you are all going to die at the hands of General Grievous, general of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.”

Padmè's eyes locked with the droids and it was then that she realized that the droid was actually some twisted creature, the eyes were organic. Grievous approached Padmè and somehow she felt as if it had singled her out, as if it had been looking for her. Padmè was hyper aware of the data disk about the clones in her pocket, she had not yet delivered to the senate records, or to the chancellor before the vote. Was the creature after the information? But she was not the only who knew, Obi-Wan and Jango Fett also knew what had been happening on _Kamino_ , the information would survive even if she didn’t.

Chancellor Palpatine stepped in front of Grievous, “I will not allow you to take this senate hostage. How dare you attack this assembly.” The old man’s voice was full of righteous anger. Grievous laughed another hacking cough.

“I was not planning on taking hostages.” Sweeping one metal arm Grievous knocked the elderly man to one side. Palpatine landed hard on the floor several feet away.

“How dare you,” Bail Organa said. The man always ready to fight politically now seemingly he was ready to fight the part droid creature hand to hand. 

“Easily.” Grievous turning to Padmè again adding, “now it is time for you to die senator.” Grievous raised his lighted saber over his head to strike.

“Grievous!” came an angry and challenging voice echoing from above. Padmè, as well as everyone else in the lobby looked up. Standing on the mezzanine a young man with curly dark hair and a blue lightsaber burning in his right hand. 

“Jedi!” Grievous accused when it saw the man. 

Padmè gasped recognizing Anakin Skywalker instantaneously. Her heart leap with a new kind of fear, fear for Anakin.

Anakin attacked descending the mezzanine in three short leaps, Grievous shoved senators out of his way to meet his opponent in a mortal combat. Anakin went blow for blow with Grievous, but this time Anakin was not struggling to keep his head, it was Grievous’ turn for that.

***

Grievous disengaged a moment with the young Jedi whose skills had improved much since the last time they had met. Taking another saber from his belt Grievous decided if he could not out maneuver the young Jedi he would overwhelm him.

***

The battle droids that had come in with Grievous stood blocking exit from the lobby, several of them moved around the edge of the room attaching detonators to the wall. Padmè’s attention, as was that of all the other senators, was riveted on the battle taking place between Anakin and Grievous. She knew she couldn’t do anything but Padmè wanted to help. She sensed Bail standing near her, and briefly wondered if any of them would make it out of the senate alive.

***

Grievous had one advantage over the human, his machine body made him far stronger. Hammering down with his full strength Grievous felt the Jedi’s arms physically buckled under the assault. Keeping up the blows Grievous took the upper hand in the battle and forced Anakin backwards.

***

Palpatine had been helped up from where Grievous had thrown him, and now stood with the senators. Everything had been playing out just as he’d foreseen, until the young man had appeared. Though he carried a lightsaber the boy was no Jedi. Yet he had managed to foil another life attempt on senator Amidala. No matter she could still die before the attack on _Coruscant_ was over. Palpatine was becoming very angry with the young man’s interference in his plans. He was waiting for Grievous to strike the annoyance down when he felt the force stir.

***

Anakin used the training he’d received from Dooku and reached out with the force, became one with it, and took hold. Power flushed through him and he reached out. Anakin threw the droids backwards. Grievous was on the defensive now, blocking instead of attacking, retreating instead of taking ground. When his guard was down to low pure energy cut through the mettle of his forearm. Screaming in pain Grievous scrambled away from his adversary calling to his battle droids “kill the Jedi!”

Two dozen battle droids turned their weapons on Anakin and fired. “Anakin watch out!” Padmè called. Anakin rolled to one side and narrowly avoiding the red laser bolts fired by the battle droids. Getting back to his feat he deflected several of the bolts back at the droids.

***

“Anakin!” another voice called from a few floors above. Anakin glanced up and saw Asajj just as she leapt over the balcony and landed at his side.

“What are you doing here?” Anakin asked as he deflected back another bolt.

“Saving your butt form another stupid decision,” Asajj said “together.” Both pirates flung out a hand and shoved the battle droids closest to them. The droids fell over and struggled to right themselves as Asajj leapt to cut them down more.

Anakin sensed it before it happened and turning he met Grievous’ attack from behind, blocking the green lightsaber before it cut into him. Anakin locked sabers with the droid general for a long moment. Suddenly Anakin realization the hilt of the green blade the droid general was wielding.

“Where did you get that?” Anakin demanded, he had never learned the exact details of Qui-Gon’s death, but his lightsaber was unmistakable. 

Grievous laughed, “I killed the Jedi and took it.” 

***

Palpatine felt the hair on the back of his neck rise; the force swirled up around the boy all at once. Anger and rage swept the force and the boy rained blow after blow down on the droid general.

***

Anakin took off two more of Grievous’ limbs, and then with a powerful force shove slammed the droid creature into the wall with such force the cracks spidered over the plaster. Grievous had dropped his remaining lightsaber and Anakin advanced.

“Kill the Jedi, both of them, kill all the organics!” Grievous screamed to his troops. The droid commander responded “roger, roger” and pressed the button of a device it was holding. Around the walls lasers sprang to life from devices the droids had been placing around since they had first entered the lobby. 

“Get back, don’t touch them.” Bail Organa holding an arm out to keep several panicked senators from touching the red lasers that now crisscrossed the lobby. 

“Everyone to the middle.” Padmè called, gesturing for the others to gather in the center medallion on the carpeted floor.

***

Palpatine found himself herded to the center of the floor; Grievous had gone too far in his attack on the senate in respect to the detonators. Palpatine himself might be in real danger of being killed. Yet Palpatine had still not taken his eyes off of the young man. Or the small battle taking place beyond the lasers between the young man and Grievous, and the Zabrak woman and battle droids.

***

Anakin raised his lightsaber over his head and tore the blue energy through the metal body of the droid general. Grievous gave one last scream and then slumped silently to the floor of the senate mezzanine. Anakin scooped up the fallen lightsaber of Qui-Gon. Asajj leaped forwards and cut down the droid commander, without any leader the battle droids paused a moment while they processed what to do. “Attack” one finally ordered.

“Anakin?” Asajj called as she cut down another droid.

“Go!” Anakin called more battle droids were streaming in from the platform they had taken. “Get back to _Starkiller_ , I’ll follow!” Anakin called to her over the sound of the battle they were now taking part in. 

“Anakin, Ahsoka’s somewhere in the building.” Asajj deflected a bolt. Anakin's heart stop for a moment, Ahsoka might be dead, if she’d been in there when the attack had started.

“We’ll find her.” Anakin called back, it was all he could do.

“Already got that covered.” came Ahsoka’s voice crackling over the comm on Asajj’s wrist. “I’m at the East entrance, your rides waiting, and hurry.”

“got it.” Asajj took the three mini thermo-detonators she had brought to blow the Jedi volute doors and threw them into the thickest part of where the battle droids were clustered. “Now!” Asajj called and broke for the side exit that would lead them away from the lobby where the battle for the senate was taking place.

***

The lasers which had started to beep now beeped faster and faster as they counted down before detonation, “help us!” Orn-free-taa pleaded.

Padmè looked up to where Anakin was. He had paused when he heard Orn-free-taa’s cry. Padmè’s eyes were locked on him for a long second, the rest of the senators was looking up as well, frozen in a second of helplessness.

Anakin jumped without heed of the few remaining battle droids that were still firing at him after Asajj’s detonators had turned more than half of their numbers into slag. Arching up and over the lasers Anakin landed in the midst of the senators. “Everyone to the middle now!” he ordered. Anakin stabbed his lightsaber into the marble floors and started dragging it around the edge of the medallion the senators were standing on.

***

Palpatine jockeyed for position to see the young force wielder as he attempted to save them.

***

“Nine second” Mon Mathma called out.

“Aim the rocket.” Came the tinny voice of a battle droid.

Anakin didn’t have time to slowly cut through the entire floor; the area was too large of a circle. “Hang on!” Anakin called to the senators.

“Five second.” Mon’s voice held a note of panic in it.

“Ready.” came the response from the battle droid holding the rocket launcher. 

Anakin thrust one hand down towards the floor and called on the force. He felt the seam in the floor he’d made crack. The piece of senate floor gave way breaking into several large pieces and everyone plummeted to the second floor below. Landing hard, senators and staffers scattered in every direction, tumbling off the pieces of floor and landing hard on the solid marble of the second level lobby below. Anakin took a moment to right himself from the fall and then ducked as the bombs above exploded mingling with the droids rocket which sent pieces of marble raining down on the second floor through the large whole in the ceiling.

***

Padmè was helped up by Bail who was sporting a cut on his temple that was bleeding. “Is everyone alight?” Bail asked.

“I think we all lived.” Mon's voice was pained as she held her shoulder, it looked as if it might have been dislocated in the fall to Padmè. 

“Where’s Anakin?” Padmè asked looking about.

There was the sound of doors being forced open and six Jedi Knights and several padawans came running into the senate lobby led by Master Shaak Ti. “Senators,” the Jedi said “are you all unharmed?”

“We’ll all live,” Bail said.

“Secure the building and bring any other survivors to this lobby” Shaak Ti instructed. “Ferus take Caleb and search the upper offices.” she ordered the young knight. “Chancellors.” the Jedi master turned to Palpatine, “the enemy has been beaten back, _Coruscant_ is ours once again.”

“That is good news,” Palpatine said, he brushed off some of the fine white dust that coughed his black robe. “Where is the young man who saved us?” Palpatine looked about.

“He’s gone, I saw him leave when the Jedi arrived.” Orn-free-taa pointing to one of the side halls that led away from the lobby.

* * *

Anakin tuned the frequency of Dooku’s ship to that of _Starkiller_ the moment he reached the cockpit. He’d had to take a different way out then Ahsoka had offered, there had been too many battle droids in-between himself and them by the time he’d left.

“Anakin!?” Ahsoka’s voice was panicked a little as she responded to his message.

“I’m alive, we need to get the hell out of here,” Anakin said, “rendezvous at _Baska-Low_.”

“Copy that.” Asajj’s voice came over the comm.

They cut their communications after that and headed for open space; the battleship was no longer in the sky as they exited the atmosphere.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mentioned Jedi Knight Ferus is Ferus Olin and Caleb is Caleb Dume a.k.a. Kanan Jarrus as a padawan.


	16. AFTER ACTION

The deep frown that Yoda had been wearing the entire time he listened to Obi-Wan in part what had been discovered on  _ Kamino _ only deepened as the Jedi finished his report. “The Kaminoan’s are changing the order now, it took quite a bit of persuading but all clones are undergoing surgery to have these bio-chips removed.”

“Disturbing this new is, behind the clone armies the Sith are, to destroy the Jedi come close the Sith have” Yoda said. The Jedi council was silent a long time until Obi-Wan broke the contemplation.

“I will be returning to  _ Coruscant _ shortly, what of the peace talks, how did the senate take the news of the clone army?”

“Not well, after the Separatists attack there was an emergency meeting called in the senate. I understand negations are still going on, there has been nothing decided yet” master Mace Windu said.

“I sense there is something else that has happened?” Obi-Wan asked,

“There has. We will discuss it further when you return to the temple.” Master Window’s subscript was more than concerning to Obi-Wan, something had happened that could not be talked about over the open com.

“I will return to the temple shortly,” Obi-Wan said and his holo-com cut off.

Windu looked to master Yoda, “the robbery of the volute is disturbing coming at the same time as the  _ Coruscant _ attack, behind this too I sense the hand of the Sith.”

“Agree I do, the attack on  _ Coruscant _ , a diversion it was, but for what purpose? To disrupt the peace talk or to steal the secrets of the Jedi, it is unclear” Yoda said. 


	17. REVELATIONS

Palpatine was in a rage, Dooku had failed to reach  _ Kamino _ in time to stop the Jedi or the clone downer from disarming his secret weapons against the Jedi. Senator Padmè Amidala had presented the data on the inhibitor chips to the senate with disturbing results. A second full investigation was being launched into the clone army and this time Palpatine had been unable to use his travel bane to stop members of the senate from going to the planet because Dooku had recalled the battle fleet and it was no longer Separates space. Padmè had survived the attack on  _ Coruscant _ and because of the facade of their relationship he had to play the worried mentor.

Palpatine had hoped to do damage control before things got any worse, but then there had been Bail Organa. The prince was almost worse than Padmè and had less regard for rules. Senator Organa with the help of the medullary Mothma had somehow, the mere thought of it enraged Palpatine further, managed to scrap a majority, through a narrow majority, a majority nonetheless, to vote to open the peace talks. Even after the attack on  _ Coruscant _ . 

His old hands clenched into first on his desk. Palpatine had to give it to the prince; Organa had used a skillful argument. Using the fear after the attack to his own advantage,

_ “with peace talks we will be able to force the Congress to meet us on mutually agreeable teams, they will not be able to attack us again. If they do, they lose all legitimacy and systems will leave. _ ” 

Palpatine could hear Organa’s words still, 

_ “if we do nothing they will continue to let dangerous individuals take control over their forces. This attack never would have taken place if peace talks had been opened up months ago when they were first suggested.” _

And the maneuver had worked, the senate had officially voted to reach out the branch of peace. Dooku’s apparent absence from the Confederacy’s Congress, an absence that Palpatine had been unaware of, had given rise to sympathy for the peace talks within the congress. Mina Bonteri had officially led the charge to denounce Grievous’ actions and now all of his plans so carefully laid over the last ten years were laying in rubble. 

Palpatine growled, everything was going wrong; the only part of the plan that had gone right was Bane's theft of the Holocrone. But that was little cancelation, destroying the future Jedi now would not remove those who already were Jedi at the moment, that had been what the clones were for. Dooku would pay for his fault, and so would the senate, he had come too close to turn back now.

Standing and pacing around his office for a few minutes Palpatine let his anger consume him before he put it away and thought back to his rescue from Grievous’ almost disastrous attack. It was good that the droid general was dead; the creature had gone too far in his attack.

The boy though, not a Jedi, but an acolyte of the force, Palpatine smiled as he turned to the view screen and looked out to the bloody sun set that turned the buildings in the  _ Coruscant’s _ skyline into black fangs. Palpatine had found the being at the epicenter of the disturbance of the force. “Anakin” Palpatine tested the name, perhaps things were not lost after all.

* * *

Dooku sat in his office on  _ Raxus _ , his master's wrath was still to come but his mind was on other matters. Obi-Wan’s words were still vibrating in his mind, 

_ “Qui-Gon thought Anakin was the chosen one, he trained him in secret to that end.”  _

The chosen one, the chosen one, had Qui-Gon actually discovered the being referred to in the ancient Jedi prophecy?

Dooku thought back over his training of Anakin and wondered again, was it true, was Anakin men’t to bring balance to the force and destroy the Sith?

* * *

Anakin’s stolen ship touched down next to  _ Starkiller _ on the cool rocky surface of  _ Baska-Low _ . “Why were you on  _ Coruscant _ ?” Anakin asked standing between the two ships with Asajj and Ahsoka. 

“We were getting these” Asajj held out the blue squares that glowed faintly in the darkness.

“Some training of our own” Ahsoka added, “are you going to stay around or go back to your teacher?” she watched him with her large blue eyes.

“I’m staying around, I don’t need him now that I have this,” Anakin said, holding out a glowing red pyramid.

“What is that?” Ahsoka asked,

“Everything we need,” Anakin answered.


End file.
